Two businesses in West Hollywood became the first to sell recreational marijuana in Los Angeles County on Jan. 2.

Customers stood in line Tuesday in front of MedMen WeHo, which was one of four businesses that began selling recreational pot on Jan. 2 in West Hollywood. (photo by Edwin Folven)

Long lines formed outside MedMen WeHo at 8208 Santa Monica Blvd. and Alternative Herbal Health Services at 7828 Santa Monica Blvd., which received temporary use permits from the city and the California Bureau of Cannabis Control. The city’s two other marijuana businesses – Los Angeles Patients & Caregivers Group at 7213 Santa Monica Blvd. and Zen Healing at 8464 Santa Monica Blvd. – also received temporary permits as of Jan. 2 and began selling recreational marijuana.

“I have been waiting for this for a long time,” said John Steiner, a West Los Angeles resident who waited in line outside MedMen WeHo on Tuesday evening. “I wanted to make sure I came down. It’s a historic moment.”

In November, the West Hollywood City Council approved regulations for recreational cannabis stores. The city issued temporary use permits to its four medical dispensaries.

For other prospective recreational marijuana businesses, the city will begin its initial cannabis business screening application process in late January with the publication of a screening application packet. The city will then accept applications for a 30-day period, to be specified in the packet. Inquiries regarding the application process may be emailed to cannabis@weho.org.

Individuals must be 21 years old to purchase recreational marijuana in California. Security guards at MedMen checked identification and only let small groups of people at a time inside the store. To report potential violations, call the city’s Code Compliance Division at (323)848-6375, or email cannabis@weho.org.

The city of Los Angeles started accepting applications on Jan. 3 from businesses seeking to sell recreational marijuana. Medical marijuana dispensaries already operating with immunity to prosecution under Proposition D will be the first considered by the city. Cat Packer, head of the Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation, said dispensaries could start selling recreational pot as soon as Monday.

Los Angeles police will look for illegal businesses selling recreational marijuana without permits, and encourage the public to report suspicious activity. Illegal operators could face fines of up to $20,000 per day of operation. Inquiries about enforcement of licensing for marijuana delivery services were not answered.

Police on Tuesday also commenced a crackdown for violations such as smoking marijuana in public and driving under the influence of pot, which are illegal. Smokers must keep marijuana in sealed containers while driving, ideally in a vehicle trunk. Authorities expect to see an increase in incidents of people driving under the influence of marijuana.

“Hopefully, people get the message,” said Det. Olin Osborn, with the Los Angeles Police Department’s West Traffic Division. “We have drug recognition experts who we can call in if officers suspect someone is driving under the influence of marijuana. We are taking it very seriously.”

LAPD officers specially trained in recognizing signs of marijuana impairment will be called to the scene when people are pulled over and it is suspected they were driving under the influence of marijuana. There is no field sobriety test for marijuana impairment. Suspected violators would be taken to a hospital for blood to be drawn and tested.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department also launched a prevention campaign titled “Drive Baked, Get Booked” to discourage people from driving under the influence of marijuana. Deputies will not tolerate violations such as smoking public and driving under the influence.

Beverly Hills has banned recreational marijuana businesses, but allows delivery services of medical cannabis within the city. If a business begins illegally selling marijuana, the city’s code enforcement officers will address the violation.

“If there was a criminal component, we would handle or assist in the investigation,” said. Lt. Elisabeth Albanese, with the Beverly Hills Police Department.